What DON'T you like about your iPod?
Oct 1, 2002 at 3:40 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 41

lucien

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I'm constantly swaying back and forth between loyalty to the MD format and my trusty MZR900, and the serious temptation of the iPod and all its 20GB goodness.

I'm not looking for an MD/MP3 format war. I think I know all I need to know on the subject.

But I am curious to know what those of you out there who own iPods have found negative about them. Are there any horrible surprises that'll bite me in the arse after I part with my hard-earned?

I'm pretty sure I'd be using XPlay with a 20GB Windows iPod.

Any comments?
 
Oct 1, 2002 at 4:18 PM Post #2 of 41
wait.

The iPod is old. Many new models will be out by christmas. decide by then.
 
Oct 1, 2002 at 4:53 PM Post #3 of 41
I also have and love the great mzr900 and an IPod. And I have to say the only think I don't like about the ipod is it's shuffle feature. I have a full 20 gig ipod, and I use the shuffle function for all the songs; it seems that always the same "core" 5 or 6 artists are chosen, while many times I'll hear a song, ff to another, and again with this selection coming from the same album I just heard the song from two songs ago. I have roughly 200 artists on the ipod, and I hear the same 10 to 15 all the time it seams, with the others just sprinkled in. Drives me crazy.
Having said that, This and the lack of a lneout are the only things That leave the ipod lacking for me. Everyhing else is great on it. But for me the shuffle function is huge, and I may wind up going back to the mzr900 for that.
Do you use a portable amp for the pmdp?
 
Oct 1, 2002 at 7:14 PM Post #4 of 41
the little cover piece over the firewire port does not sit flush when closed.


how's that for nitpicking????
wink.gif



after using Archos JB Recorder 20, Sony D-CJ500...and others,
the iPod is unbelievable better in all respects...most notably sound quality (lack of noise) and form factor. read my earlier review.

unbeatable. hate to say it, but cheap...well at least worth every penny... at $400 for the 10 gig.
 
Oct 1, 2002 at 7:44 PM Post #5 of 41
it's made by apple?
wink.gif


the lack of a lineout seems to be the only complaint i can see with it so far. people complain about battery life, but it IS spinning a hard drive, which is very tough to deal with power-wise.

the shuffle remark is pretty interesting. this thread is cool (and i too am really wanting to buy an ipod), so let's keep it going.
smily_headphones1.gif
 
Oct 1, 2002 at 11:05 PM Post #6 of 41
Quote:

And I have to say the only think I don't like about the ipod is it's shuffle feature. I have a full 20 gig ipod, and I use the shuffle function for all the songs; it seems that always the same "core" 5 or 6 artists are chosen, while many times I'll hear a song, ff to another, and again with this selection coming from the same album I just heard the song from two songs ago. I have roughly 200 artists on the ipod, and I hear the same 10 to 15 all the time it seams, with the others just sprinkled in. Drives me crazy.


Strange. I have no problem with shuffle on my older 5 gig iPod. I use shuffle all the time with different playlists and I rarely, if ever, hear the same song twice.
The lack of a line-out used to bother me, but not anymore. A line-out would kind of force me to use an amp, but that would defeat the ultimate portability of the little thing.
The only complaint I have is with battery life. Sometimes I get 10 hours........sometimes only 4. There doesn't seem to be much consistency. Other than that, I love it.
smily_headphones1.gif
 
Oct 2, 2002 at 1:51 AM Post #7 of 41
Quote:

Do you use a portable amp for the pmdp?


No, I just use the Ety ER4P, and I'm quite happy without an amp. I have a Headroom Supreme, which I bought thinking I would use it portably, but it's so much bigger than my player that I would never bother.

I hate carrying things around with me anyway. It's pretty unlikely that I'll ever buy another portable amp unless the output was total crap. As it is, MD + 4P is a nice combination for a portable setup.

I just love the idea of carrying so much music around with me, and being able to transfer data as well.
 
Oct 2, 2002 at 1:58 AM Post #8 of 41
That shuffle comment is interesting -- I never use shuffle at the moment, but that's because I only have an album or two available at any given time.

With a lot more music, I imagine I'd use it often.

Is it a known problem that has been reported to Apple so they can fix it in the next firmware, or something that's likely to stay?

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The other thing that's bothering me is the inability to attach a AA battery pack like I can to my MD recorder. Going on long plane trips as I do fairly frequntly seems like a dead loss if you have to carry an AC adapter and foreign plug adapters. Not to mention the need to find a plug and sit next to it in airports for hours at a time.

I need one of these iPod clones to come out with single AA external battery pack.



 
Oct 2, 2002 at 3:06 AM Post #9 of 41
Don't know if it's a widespread problem. I haven't read of any others who use shuffle on 18.5 gigs of music., most make playlists.

Since you don't use an ampthere really should'nt be any reason not to love the ipod, unless you're going to use it for running. They tend to lock up completely after approx. 37 minutes of running.
 
Oct 2, 2002 at 7:13 AM Post #10 of 41
Quote:

Originally posted by Flasken
The iPod is old.


The new models were just released at the end of July
confused.gif



Quote:

Originally posted by joelongwood
The only complaint I have is with battery life. Sometimes I get 10 hours........sometimes only 4. There doesn't seem to be much consistency.


The two things that will shorten battery life the most are: 1) skipping songs a lot; and 2) using higher-bitrate music files. This is true for all hard drive-based MP3 players. The times when you get only 4 hours, are you skipping around a lot or using high-bitrate files (or even WAVs)?

I have a friend who uses 128kbps MP3s (*gasp*
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) and when he just presses play and lets it go, he gets something like 14 hours
wink.gif


Like joelongwood, I haven't heard any other reports of shuffle problems.

I haven't bought mine yet (can't wait much longer
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), but my only real complaint is the lack of a line-out. Not because I want to use an amp portably, but because I want to hook it up to my home stereo/amp when I'm listening at home.
 
Oct 2, 2002 at 7:35 AM Post #12 of 41
Great thread we have here-

lucien- there is actually a way to get extra batteries onto the iPod- I read it somewhere on the web, unfourtunately I forgot the site. Basically though if you're handy with the solder you can make yourself a battery pack that ends in a firewire plug and so you can charge your iPod on the go (even while it's on and playing) with it.

williamgoody- what do you mean lock up completely after 37 minutes? If the iPod locks up this could be big negative points against it....

MadDEF- I am ripping all my CD's into 192kbps mp3's using EAC/LAME. I'll still get pretty good batt life right (Significantly better than 4 hours)? Normally I just put it on shuffle and let it run, that's what I did with my Rio, and how I listen to my Winamp 80% of the time.

Ruahrc

p.s. what's the cheapest place to get it online? And does apple.com charge tax?
 
Oct 2, 2002 at 7:51 AM Post #13 of 41
Quote:

Originally posted by Taphil
The BIGGEST downfall is the lack of queue feature.


By that, do you mean like the enqueue function in WinAmp? So I suppose that would mean that you either have to have a playlist, shuffle your tracks, or select one song at a time?

I guess that's a bummer, but I think I can train myself to use playlists. I usually just enqueue what I feel like listening to at the time, but I need to do some serious mp3 organisation before I get an iPod.

I've got gigs and gigs of tracks on my PC that have crap ID3 info, or none at all. My ripped CDs aren't a problem, since all the proper ID3 info gets put on at the time anyway.
 
Oct 2, 2002 at 7:54 AM Post #14 of 41
Quote:

Originally posted by Ruahrc
there is actually a way to get extra batteries onto the iPod- I read it somewhere on the web, unfourtunately I forgot the site. Basically though if you're handy with the solder you can make yourself a battery pack that ends in a firewire plug and so you can charge your iPod on the go (even while it's on and playing) with it.


Anyone know of a link to this info? Ye Grande Olde Google Searche came up with nothing.

I'm useless with a soldering iron, but perhaps one of the handymen on this board might take a commission job?
 

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